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Using Angels and Devils: a board game developed for play in nursing homes
International Journal of Aging & Human Development
|January 1, 1980
Summary
Nursing home residents often experience sensory and social isolation. Playing a board game may help reduce these effects by stimulating resident-staff discussions, suggesting further research into therapeutic games.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Nursing home residents are susceptible to perceptual deprivation and social isolation.
- These conditions can negatively impact well-being in institutionalized populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the incidence of sensory deprivation and social isolation in nursing home residents.
- To explore potential correlates of these effects.
- To assess the efficacy of a discussion-stimulating board game in remediating these issues.
Main Methods:
- Thirty-two nursing home residents participated in the study.
- Residents played a board game designed to stimulate discussion.
- Questionnaires were used to measure resident responses and effects.
Main Results:
- A high incidence of sensory deprivation and social isolation effects was observed.
- These effects did not correlate with length of institutionalization, social contact, or medical restrictions.
- Stimulating resident-staff discussion showed potential for reducing these negative effects.
Conclusions:
- Sensory and social isolation are prevalent issues in nursing home environments.
- Interventions that foster resident-staff interaction, such as discussion-stimulating board games, may be beneficial.
- Further research is needed to explore the therapeutic potential of board games in institutional settings.